Thrust clip



Sept. 9, 1941.- w ss 2,255,321

THRUST CLIP Filed Feb. '7, 1940 I'NVENTOR FIquFeE; b

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE? THRUS'I. our

Edward W. Kress, San Jose, Calif. Application February 7, 1940, SerialNo. 317,692 3 Claims. ,(cl. 20- 92) The present invention relatesparticularly to means for preventing relative movement between twoangularly joined members, particularly in braces extending from theplate to the sill, and.

each brace being bevelled at its ends to seat solidly against theopposing faces of the studs between which it is placed.

Braces of the type above indicated are, in effect, struts, and when theframe is subjected to unusual stresses and strains in storms andearthquakes they are caused to slip on the surfaces which they contact.This slippage may be slight in any one instance, but more or lessconstant repetition of the action increases the loosening and slippingof the braces. In the case of a severe earthquake the holding. nails maybe pulled and the complete, or practically complete, separation of thebraces and studs be effected.

In an attempt to overcome this difficulty it is the practice in somelocalities to nail a block of wood to each stud in a position to contactthe lower end of the brace thereon to prevent its slipping whensubjected to the treatment above outlined. But this is only a partialcure for the trouble, merely offering an opportunity to increase thenumber of upporting nails which will themselves give under a determinedthrust from the brace above.

It is, therefore, one object of my invention to provide a device thatmay be quickly and easily applied to one member in such a manner as toeffectually support against slippage a brace or strut seated thereon andagainst the said memher.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device of thecharacter indicated that will reduce the number of nails required tohold the strut or brace in position, and that can be quickly and easilyapplied by unskilled labor.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a device for thepurpose indicated that will be economical to manufacture, simple in formand construction, small and compact in form, and highly efiicient in itspractical application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration showing one form of the deviceembodying my invention as it appears before placingin position.

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, each shows an edge elevation' of the device asapplied to different ar rangements of braces or struts.

As herein disclosed the device comprises a piece of sheet metal of anysuitable width, preferably that of the brace in conjunction with whichit is to be used, and indicated generally at i. This piece of sheetmetal is bent back upon itself at one end to form a section ofsubstantial length and of double thickness as shown-at 2, the edge ofthe bent-back portion being serrate in form as indicated at 3.

Backwardly a little way from the serrate edge 3 the body member I isbent again to form. an apron 4 lying in a plane normal to the plane ofthe part 2.

The parts 2 and 3 are provided with holes 5 to receive nails as 5.

In Figure 2 is shown a portion of a stud at l, and at 3 to the toe of abrace seated against the stud. When the present device is used ashereinafter described it is only necessary to tack the brace in positionbefore the device is applied, this permitting placing the device snuglyagainst the extreme edge of the toe and preventing any possible movementthereof, and since the device is a perfect support for the brace nocustomary thorough nailing is required. With the brace in position a sawkerf 9 is made crosswise of the stud and parallel with the toe of thebrace and contiguous to it extreme end, or the saw cut may even removesome of the extreme end of the brace. The projecting serrated edge ofthe device is now inserted in the saw kerf 9 and seated firmly therein,and the apron 4 nailed to the stud, only one or two nails beingrequired. A blow of a hammer will now seat the part 2 against the braceB, and this part is secured by means of a couple of nails as shown. Bybending the part 2 in the direction indicated by arrow ID the bend iseffected at II at the surface of the stud and the extremity of thebrace. The device now cooperates with the stud to form a solid immovablestirrup for the lower end of the brace.

In Figure 3 it is shown that the device may be applied to the upper endof a brace in a similar manner, the part 2 being bent downwardly to seaton the brace as indicated by arrow l2.

In Figure 4 it is shown that a saddle may be made by reversing theposition of the device, placing the part 4 between the principal membersl3 and M of a truss and bending the part 2 over to seat against the toeof the thrust member l3 as indicated at Hi.

In Figure 5 it is shown that the device may be set in the corner formedby two members, as a stud and plate of a frame building shown in part atI6 and H, to form a seat for the upper end of brace 8 and preventdisplacement of the stud relative to the plate if a force acting in thedirection I8 is applied to the brace 8.

While the edge of the device entering the kerf 9 is shown and referredto as a serrate edge, it may be made straight or in any other desiredform without change in the function performed. In Figure 5 the device isprovided with a straight edge at IS.

The device may also be effective applied without the formation of thekerf 9. In applying it in this manner the serrated edge is merely driveninto the stud at the desired point. However, in setting the device inthis manner it is desirable that the part 2 be further strengthened sothat it will not collapse under the pounding to which it will besubjected. I accomplish this by stamping ridges as at 20 in the part 2in parallel relation to the side edges of the part. Since the ridgesextend from the forward to the rear edge of the double part 2 they makethat part as rigid as a nail, and permit the teeth to be driven into thewood in the same manner.

It will be noted that the part 2 may be bent toward or away from part 4,or left in its original position relative thereto as circumstances maydictate.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been hereinillustrated and described, it will be understood that variousalterations in the details of construction may be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention as indicated in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A thrust clip, comprising a flexible sheet metal member doubled uponitself at one end to form a rigid two ply body portion, the free end ofone of the plies of said body portion being sharp and adapted to bedriven into a support to anchor said clip, the free end of the other plybeing hingedly connected to said body portion inwardly of the free endof said first ply, each of said plies of said body portion having aplurality of corrugations extending from points adjacent the sharp freeend to the line of fold. of said body portion, and said body portion andsaid hingedly connected ply having apertures therein for securingelements.

2. In a frame building, the combination with a thrust resisting memberand a thrust member bearing thereagainst at an acute angle, of a thrustclip having a portion embedded in the thrust resisting member at a pointcontiguous to the extremity of the thrust member, said clip having asecond portion having a bend therein and seating against the outersurface of said thrust member to form a seat therefor, said clip havinga third portion having a bend therein and seating against the thrustresisting member, and means rigidly securing said second and thirdportions to said thrust and thrust resisting members respectively.

3. In a frame building, the combination with a thrust resisting memberand a thrust member bearing thereagainst, at an acute angle, of a thrustclip having a two ply body portion, a free end of one ply being embeddedin said thrust resisting member at a point contiguous with the extremityof said thrust member, the adjacent free end of the other ply having abend therein and seating against the thrust resisting member, meansrigidly securing said last named free end to said thrust resistingmember, said two ply body portion having a bend therein and seatingagainst the outer surface of said thrust member, and means rigidlysecuring said body portion to said thrust member.

EDWARD W. KRESS.

